Double Coverage 2014-10-17

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COVERAGE Friday, October 17, 2014

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Friday, October 17, 2014

FEATURES

Two Texas defenders fondly remember last year’s matchup with Iowa State, for all the wrong reasons.

PAGE 11 The defense is stellar and the offense is improving, but Texas’ special teams have been nightmarish.

PAGE 13

Lauren Ussery | Daily Texan Staff

QUICK HITS

By The Numbers PAGE 3 Matchups PAGE 5 Stock Up, Stock Down PAGE 6 Keys to the Game PAGE 8 Players to Watch PAGE 14 Big 12 Power Rankings PAGE 20

Quarterback Sam Richardson is having a breakout season and setting Cyclone records in the process.

PAGE 14

EDITOR’S NOTE Having lost four of his first six games in Austin, head coach Charlie Strong’s inagural season with the Longhorns isn’t exactly going to plan. Texas will need to flip the script and win four of its final six games to gain bowl eligibilty in 2014. Are Swoopes and Co. capable of turning it around or will the Longhorns continue to spiral down the historical drain? It all starts with Iowa State this weekend.

Stefan Scrafield, Double Coverage Editor

DOUBLE presents

COVERAGE Vol. 9, Issue 7

Friday, October 17, 2014

Writers: Evan Berkowitz Garrett Callahan Nick Castillo Daniel Clay Jori Epstein Sebastian Herrera Drew Lieberman Jacob Martella Peter Sblendorio

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Design Editor................................................................................................Omar Longoria Photo Editor..................................................................................................Shelby Tauber Copy Editor............................................................................................................Taiki Miki

e es

Friday, October 17, 2014

85-28-4

Texas’ all time record in its seventh game of the season — a win percentage of 72.6 percent.

36-19

The series’ average score, in Texas’ favor.

Jaxon Shipley Wide receiver

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BY THE NUMBERS

By Drew Lieberman @DrewLieberman

1-0-1

3

10-1

Texas’ record when entering a game 2-4 on the season, which only happened in the 1954 and 1955 seasons. At 2-4, Texas is off to its worst start since 1956, when the Longhorns started 1-5.

12

The Longhorn defense has surrendered only 12 first-half points in the season’s first six games. Over the same span, the Longhorns have given up 14 first-half points on special teams and seven points on offense.

0

The Longhorns hold a 10-1 edge in the series against Iowa State. Texas’ lone loss to the Cyclones came in 2010 — the last time the Longhorns missed a bowl game, which would almost certainly be the case this year if they lose this weekend.

6

The number of touchdowns caught by receivers not named John Harris this season. Of Texas’ eight touchdown passes, Harris has caught six, and junior tight end M.J. McFarland has caught the other two.

13

Through six games, Iowa State has allowed 13 sacks. The Longhorns have sacked the quarterback 21 times this season, which puts them in a tie with Baylor for most in the conference.

346.3

Yards of total offense the Longhorns are averaging per game this season — eighth in the Big 12. But Iowa State’s offense has had even more trouble moving the ball, averaging just 337.3 yards of offense per game, which is ninth in the conference.

384

The number of touchdowns caught this season by senior wide receiver John Harris, tied for the conference lead. Harris caught a Hail Mary touchdown at the end of the first half in last year’s 31-30 victory over Iowa State.

47.4% 4.3

The number of yards, per play, the Longhorn defense is allowing this season — the fourth fewest in the country. Texas only allows 2.79 yards per play in wins while giving up 4.96 per play in losses.

Yards of total offense sophomore quarterback Tyrone Swoopes accounted for last weekend — 334 passing yards and 50 rushing, both career highs.

That total is a Red River Rivalry record for a quarterback, eclipsing former Oklahoma star Sam Bradford’s mark of 382 yards in 2008.

The Cyclones allow opponents to pick up first downs on over 47 percent of their third down attempts, which is the worst rate in the Big 12. Texas allows opponents to convert on less than a third of their third down attempts.

32.3

The amount of yards the Longhorns are allowing per kickoff return — the highest number in the country.

They have only allowed six kick returns through six games, but Oklahoma returned one of those for a touchdown last week.

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Friday, October 17, 2014

Swoopes’ up-tempo success should lead to more no-huddle

By Garrett Callahan Daily Texan Columnist @CallahanGarrett

With less than 15 minutes remaining in the Red River Rivalry, Texas found itself down 31-13 to the Sooners.

Although they would come up short in the end, the Longhorns staged a fourth quarter comeback in which the offense seemed to find its rhythm for the first time since sophomore quarterback Tyrone Swoopes took over at quarterback.

Texas used a series of uptempo, no-huddle drives to score three times in the fourth quarter. Given how successful the no-huddle of-

fense was last Saturday, the Longhorns should continue to use the accelerated offense as they work to fight their way back to .500 and into a bowl game.

“And the key thing too, they were tired, so we tried to just run down their [defensive] linemen,” head coach Charlie Strong said. “That doesn’t allow the defense to get set. So now they can’t sub; now he knows exactly what he’s going to get.”

In past years, Texas has stayed true to a methodical attack, huddling before each snap in an attempt to take time off of the clock and use time of possession to its advantage. But, especially in the five games since former quarterback David

Ash’s retirement from football, the Longhorns haven’t generated enough offensive production from their traditional offense.

With Swoopes under center, the Longhorns looked comfortable in the no-huddle. They were able to speed things up on the defense and prevent Oklahoma from getting set, creating more opportunities for Swoopes and his offense.

“You get defenses to numb up — go a little vanilla for you,” said Shawn Watson, quarterbacks coach and play caller. “Plus, the players, they’re moving so fast they’re not overthinking the process, so it definitely helps out – especially the younger quarterbacks.”

Shelby Tauber | Daily Texan Staff

Sophomore quarterback Tyrone Swoopes was at his best when the Longhorn offense went up-tempo in the fourth quarter of the Red River Rivalry in Dallas Saturday.

One of the hottest trends in the world of college football, the up-tempo offense has proven to be the key to success for many teams

around the country.

Baylor, which currently ranks third in the NCAA in total offense, has run a total of 541 plays this season, an

average of about 90 plays per game. In that time, the Bears have averaged 52.7 points per

UP-TEMPO page 9

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MATCHUPS

Friday, October 17, 2014

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By Daniel Clay @dclay567

QB

Advantage: Iowa State

RB

WR

Malcolm Brown was given the brunt of the carries against Oklahoma, and the senior responded with some fantastic second efforts, which led to a respectable 4.1 yards per carry. Junior Johnathan Gray has shown flashes this season but has struggled to consistently run for decent gains.

The Cyclone backs have consistently underwhelmed this season. Redshirt junior DeVondrick Nealy and senior Aaron Wimberly combine to average 3.2 yards per carry, and their longest run on the season tops out at 16 yards. Head coach Paul Rhoads has expressed confidence in his backs and shifted the blame to his linemen.

Swoopes relied heavily on senior John Harris early on this year, suggesting that junior Marcus Johnson and senior Jaxon Shipley had fallen off. But, the trio had its best game as a unit last week, with each receiver notching a reception of 32 yards or more and hauling in at least 90 receiving yards.

Redshirt senior Jarvis West is the Cyclones’ go-to option for big plays, but true freshman Allen Lazard has emerged as the most consistent performer for this unit. Lazard has already accrued a teamhigh 304 receiving yards, the 11th best mark in the nation for a rookie. Senior tight end E.J. Bibbs could win All-Big 12 honors, and his four touchdown receptions lead the team.

Advantage: Texas

Signal caller Sam Richardson brings some much needed stability to a Cyclone program that has had its fair share of quarterback issues. The redshirt junior is a strong pocket passer, but he is not afraid to take off running, as evidenced by his team-leading 283 rushing yards.

Tyrone Swoopes looked like a star at times in the Red River Showdown. The sophomore made quick reads, zipped tight spirals down the sidelines and made plays with his legs. He can still be frustratingly inaccurate, but his stellar fourth quarter performance should have Texas fans excited to see what Swoopes has in store for the future.

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DL

Advantage: Texas

Senior defensive end Cedric Reed has shown signs of life recently, but he needs to start getting to the quarterback if he wants to revive his draft stock. Defensive tackles — sophomore Hassan Ridgeway and junior Malcom Brown — have held their own against some of the best inside running teams in the country.

The Cyclone defensive line’s struggles have allowed opposing rushers to pick up 212 yards per game, but it makes up for some of that by getting solid pressure on the quarterback. Senior defensive end Cory Morrissey has already recorded four sacks and 5.5 tackles for loss.

Advantage: Texas

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LB

Advantage: Texas

It’s hard to believe this unit is the same one that was embarrassingly inept against the run in Texas’ contest with BYU, as well as in most contests last season. Some harsh words from defensive coordinator Vance Bedford may have hit the mark. Senior outside linebacker Jordan Hicks has been particularly brilliant in recent weeks.

Senior mike linebacker Jevohn Miller is the best player in a unit that has struggled against the Big 12’s high-octane attacks.

Miller’s 10.2 tackles per game are third best in the Big 12, but he will have to start making those a lot closer to the line of scrimmage in order to upset the Longhorns at home.

OL

DB

Advantage: Texas

The Longhorn secondary has been shooting down opposing air attacks. Oklahoma threw for just 129 yards, and Bryce Petty, Baylor’s senior quarterback and supposed Heisman candidate, could only muster 111 yards through the air. The safeties have been shaky at times, but the corners — senior Quandre Diggs and junior Duke Thomas — have bailed them out with solid man-to-man coverage.

The Iowa State secondary has held opponents to 234.3 passing yards per game despite having faced some of the best offenses in the nation. The Cyclones have forced four interceptions in their last four contests, and cornerbacks — junior Sam Richardson and sophomore T.J. Mutcherson will be looking for more against the Longhorns’ short passing game.

Advantage: Texas

Offensive line coach Joe Wickline’s magic touch looks like it is slowly getting to the Texas front five. They did not appear phased by Oklahoma’s confusing 3-4 pass rushes, and they opened up wide running lanes against one of the toughest run defenses in the country. Penalties are becoming a real problem, however.

Senior center Tom Farniok is the rock in the middle of the offensive line. However, any head coach is quick to point out the offensive line has to be evaluated as a unit.

Farniok’s cohorts have struggled overall.

The Cyclones have ceded 13 sacks, and their rushers are averaging just 3.4 yards per carry.

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ST

Advantage: Iowa State

Redshirt senior Jarvis West can wreak havoc in the return game. West is averaging 23.6 yards per punt return, including an 82-yard score against Kansas State. Redshirt sophomore kicker Cole Netten is a consistent 15-for-16 inside 40 yards in his career and has yet to miss a kick this season.

Missed field goals are irritating, and junior Nick Rose has shanked them in bountiful numbers. Texas needs every point it can get when its offense is sputtering. Kick return touchdowns, field goal block returns for touchdowns and boneheaded kick catch interference penalties have cost Texas the chance to upset a few of the nation’s best teams.

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SCENARIOS

Friday, October 17, 2014

By Nick Castillo @Nick_Castillo74

Sophomore quarterback Tyrone Swoopes was stellar for the Longhorns against Oklahoma and will have to repeat that performance for Texas to beat the Cyclones Saturday.

Shelby Tauber Daily Texan Staff

STOCK UP, STOCK DOWN

By Evan Berkowitz @Evan_Berkowitz

Stock Up: Tyrone Swoopes He wasn’t perfect, but Swoopes finally looked like he belonged as the starting quarterback as he outplayed Oklahoma’s Trevor Knight in the Red River Rivalry. He was terrible against Baylor at home and admitted to being nervous. That wasn’t a good sign heading into arguably Texas’ most nerve racking game of the season at the Cotton Bowl. The nerves were obvious as he threw a pick-six early on, but he bounced back very nicely, leading Texas to the end zone on the very next possession to keep the game close. And when Oklahoma went up, 31-13, Swoopes played his best football, nearly leading Texas to a come-from-behind victory. He also scampered for 50 yards and a touchdown, and that number doesn’t include the 73-yarder that got called back.

Texas Wins … If sophomore quarterback Tyrone Swoopes plays as he did against Oklahoma — how he played in the fourth quarterback to be specific. Despite throwing a pick-six in the Red River Showdown, Swoopes played a tremendous game. He amassed 384 total yards against the Sooners – 334 passing yards and 50 rushing yards. Swoopes would have boosted his rushing numbers with a 73-yard run, but it was called back due to a holding penalty. He eventually found the end zone with two passing touchdowns — both to senior receiver John Harris — and one rushing touchdown. If Swoopes can repeat such a performance, the Longhorns will be able to beat the Cylcones with ease. … If the running game continues to improve. With its makeshift offensive line, Texas struggled to run the ball earlier in the season, but the running game is slowly starting to make a bigger impact. Against Oklahoma, the Longhorns rushed for 148 yards – 78 yards from senior running back Malcolm Brown, 50 from Swoopes and 20 from junior running back Johnathan Gray. With the way offensive coordinator Shawn Watson wants to play, the success of the run game allows Texas to hold on to the ball and prevent high-flying offenses from gaining possession. Along with taking time off the clock, the run sets up the passing game. If the Longhorns can get the running game started they’ll take down the Cyclones. … If the offensive line continues to progress. The Texas offensive line has had its fair share of issues this season, but it’s weathered the storm and looks to be playing better each week. If the offensive line opens up holes for the running backs and makes time for Swoopes to throw the ball, the Longhorns will beat Iowa State. … If the defense plays four quarters. The Longhorns’ defense has dominated in the first half of games but has struggled in second halves. If Texas can get four quarters of great play from the defense, it will find itself with another notch in the win column after Saturday’s game.

Stock Down: Marcus Johnson The drops are starting to add up. Johnson’s numbers weren’t that bad: seven catches for 93 yards. But, dig a little deeper, and you can see he hurt Texas with some costly drops. The junior receiver was supposed to be the top deep threat for Texas this year but has fallen behind seniors Jaxon Shipley and John Harris on Swoopes’ go-to list. Even when he finally had a big catch and seemed to break free with a clear path to the end zone, Johnson kept checking over his shoulder and ran diagonally, allowing Oklahoma defenders to catch him before he could score.

Stock Up: John Harris What a turnaround for Harris from last year. He seems to be the only receiver capable of finding the end zone, having scored six touchdowns for the Longhorns already. No other Texas receiver has a single touchdown as junior tight end M.J. McFarland is the only other player to catch a touchdown this season. After four years in the shadows, Harris is making his final year on the 40 Acres worthwhile.

Texas Loses … If the offense sputters. If Swoopes struggles Saturday and the running game doesn’t get going, it will be a long night against the Cyclones. … If the special teams woes continue. Texas has struggled mightily with its special teams this year. Against Oklahoma, the Longhorns essentially gave up 10 points on special teams. If Texas doesn’t have a good game from its special teams unit this week, it might be on the wrong end of an upset. … If the defense struggles in the second half. Texas needs its defense to play at a high level if it wants to win. But if the Longhorns continue to have defensive issues in the second half, they will fall to the Cyclones.

Stock Up: Duke Thomas This guy is brimming with confidence right now. After a really rough start to the year, which saw other teams pick on him, Thomas has completely turned his game around. The Sooners only completed six passes to receivers, and four of those were to junior Sterling Shepard, who was being covered by the other corner, senior Quandre Diggs. Thomas was dominant against Kansas three weeks ago and hasn’t slowed down.

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Friday, October 17, 2014

KEYS TO THE GAME

WHO NEEDS TO STEP UP

@Dclay567

By Nick Castillo

By Daniel Clay

A BETTER THIRD QUARTER For one reason or another, the Longhorns have struggled on all sides of the ball in third quarters this season.

The Longhorn defense held Baylor’s electric offense scoreless in the first half, shooting down everything the Sooners could send their way before halftime. The front seven clogged inside lanes, and senior cornerback Quandre Diggs and his teammates in the secondary consistently made open-field tackles.

But both games saw dramatic collapses in the second half. It is very easy to chastise the Longhorn defense for opponents’ second-half scoring frenzies, but the offense’s inability to sustain drives and chew up clock deserve the majority of the blame.

At one point against Oklahoma, the Texas offense had three out of four drives end in threeand-outs, with the one outlier being an uneventful five-play drive that ended with a punt. Even the best defense in the country — and Texas deserves to be in that conversation — would be hard pressed to sustain success when it gets virtually no rest against teams keen on moving quickly.

The best thing the Longhorn defense could hope for against the Cyclones is more consistency from sophomore quarterback Tyrone Swoopes on third downs and a clock-eating run game that gives the defenders some well-deserved rest.

DISCIPLINE It is never a good sign when something so simple shows up as a key to victory. Discipline on the field should be a given for a power-five conference team like Texas. Hard-nosed head coach Charlie Strong usually has this sort of thing under control, but Texas’ showing against Oklahoma proved otherwise.

The Longhorns had some crippling penalties against Oklahoma. Senior wide receiver John Harris got caught for a crucial holding penalty, which wiped out a 73-yard scamper by sophomore quarterback Tyrone Swoopes. Holding calls happen, but Harris’ penalty was especially painful because it occurred 10 yards down the field. Swoopes was on his way to a first down regardless of whether Harris held or not.

A flagrant kick catch interference penalty in the third quarter by sophomore Adrian Colbert gave the Sooners great field position, for which Colbert earned a rather loud talking to from Strong.

Texas could get away with a couple dumb penalties if it had a good offense, but, when Swoopes and company struggle to score 21 points per game, unnecessary penalties can make the difference. Iowa State nearly upset a very talented Kansas State team, and Texas’ bowl hopes could be in jeopardy if it cedes free yardage to a Cyclone team hungry for an upset.

SUPER SWOOPES Prior to the Red River Showdown, Swoopes’ struggles looked to be the weight that was dragging down a talented Texas team. Swoopes completed less than half of his passes against Baylor and threw for just 144 yards, with two picks and no touchdowns.

Fans were inquiring about the readiness of freshman quarterback Jerrod Heard, but then Swoopes erupted for 344 passing yards, 50 rushing yards, and three total touchdowns against Oklahoma.

Swoopes even connected on three passes of 32-plus yards, briefly quieting concerns about his inability to throw the deep ball.

The sophomore still misfires every so often, and play-caller Shawn Watson does not trust Swoopes enough to put him alone on third-and-longs, but the Oklahoma game was a step in the right direction.

In the Cotton Bowl, the offense was finally exciting. If Swoopes can maintain his confidence and continue to perform well, things could open up for the immensely talented Longhorn running backs who have been sitting stagnantly, and the defense can finally get the rest it needs to dominate all four quarters.

@Nick_Castillo74

Taylor Doyle Prior to the Red River Showdown, redshirt junior Taylor Doyle had made three starts at guard this season. But last Saturday, Doyle lined up at center against Oklahoma for the first time in his collegiate career.

Doyle made a couple of errors but played well given the hostile environment. It was especially impressive as Doyle didn’t play center in high school and didn’t start to snap the ball for Texas until the new coaching staff arrived. “[Doyle] did a really nice job,” said Shawn Watson, quarterbacks coach and play caller.

“He was a hard spot for us that we needed, especially against the nose guard that we were playing. I thought he battled and held his own and did a really nice job for us. Center is like quarterback; it’s a hard transition because now you’re captain for the entire offense — the entire offensive line’s blocking patterns.”

After a solid performance against the Sooners, it will be Doyle’s responsibility to continue to play at a high level. The offensive line has been a liability for Texas this season, and Doyle could be the answer at center. He needs to step up and prove he can anchor the offensive line.

Marcus Hutchins Hutchins, a redshirt junior, had a rough day at the Cotton Bowl against the Sooners. Oklahoma threw all sorts of looks at the left tackle from DeSoto, Texas. Whether it was linebacker blitz or defensive line stunt, Hutchins struggled to protect sophomore quarterback Tyrone Swoopes.

The Longhorn offensive line has continued to improve throughout the season, but Hutchins appeared to regress against Oklahoma. He needs to needs to step up at the tackle position and protect Swoopes.

Adrian Colbert Redshirt sophomore safety Adrian Colbert made some costly mistakes on special teams against Oklahoma. His first mistake was failing to contain his gap after slipping on a kickoff return, which resulted in a touchdown. Colbert followed up that mistake by running into Oklahoma’s punt returner before he was able to field the ball, costing Texas penalty yards that resulted in the defense yielding a field goal.

Head coach Charlie Strong said Colbert and the special teams can’t afford to take plays off.

“You don’t take a play off with special teams,” Strong said. “You have offense, you have defense and you have special teams, and that’s not the time to take a play off.”

Colbert’s mistakes were big and cost the Longhorns 10 points. He needs to step up on special teams and help prevent the big play.

Junior center Taylor Doyle and the rest of the Texas offensive line will have to continue to improve against Iowa State for the Longhorns to emerge victorious this weekend.

Shelby Tauber Daily Texan Staff

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Friday, October 17, 2014

HEISMAN WATCH

By Sebastian Herrera @SebasAHerrera

1. Mississippi State QB Dak Prescott Last week (W, 38-23, vs. Auburn): 18-for-34, 246 passing yards, 1 passing TD, 2 INTs, 121 rushing yards, 2 rushing TDs 2014: 1,478 passing yards, 14 passings TDs, 4 INTs, 576 rushing yards, 8 rushing TDs Who had Prescott leading the Heisman race before the start of the season? Nobody. The 6-foot-2-inch, 235-pound dual-threat junior quarterback has broken through in the most impressive of ways and looks to be here to stay. His résumé consists of three straight wins over ranked opponents and leading Mississippi State, a perennial SEC bottom-feeder, to its first AP No. 1 ranking in school history. There’s no denying Prescott has earned the Heisman lead. He threw two early interceptions against Auburn, but his 367 all-purpose yards, clutch touchdowns down the stretch and eventual victory more than made up for his mistakes.

2. Oregon QB Marcus Mariota Last week (W, 42-30, vs. UCLA): 17-for-27, 210 passing yards, 2 passing TDs, 75 rushing yards, 2 rushing TDs 2014: 1,621 passing yards, 17 passing TDs, 290 rushing yards, 5 rushing TDs Oregon’s win over UCLA last week was much bigger than the score indicated, and Mariota picked apart the Bruins’ defense in every way possible. Most impressively, Mariota gashed UCLA for 75 yards on the ground and made most of the Ducks’ possessions look flawless. The junior has yet to throw an interception this season, which is an incredibly rare feat. In order to regain the Hesiman lead, he’ll have to hope Prescott slows down, but there’s no doubting Mariota’s greatness every time he steps on the field.

3. Notre Dame QB Everett Golson Last week (W, 50-43, vs. North Carolina): 21-for-38, 300 passing yards, 3 passing TDs, 1 INT, 71 rushing yards 2014: 1,583 passing yards, 16 passing TDs, 4 INTs, 209 rushing yards, 4 rushing TDs Golson may not put up the best numbers in college football, but all he does is win. He has been the guy pushing Notre Dame to wins each week and in last week’s shoot-out against North Carolina, it was Golson’s clutch play that made the difference yet again for the Irish.

This week, however, will make or break Golson’s Heisman campaign. A matchup with No. 2 Florida State on Saturday sets the perfect stage for Golson to either shine or fade away.

4. Wisconsin RB Melvin Gordon Last week: (W, 38-28, vs. Illinois): 27 attempts, 175 rushing yards, 4 rushing TDs 2014: 1,046 rushing yards, 13 rushing TDs, 1 receiving TD Wisconsin still has six regular season games on its schedule, and Gordon has already surpassed the 1,000-yard mark. Games such as last week’s against Illinois are the reason some say Gordon is the best running back in the country and his yards per game and total yards are both second in the FBS. The truth is, Gordon hasn’t faced great competition and his Badgers have lost to two mediocre teams in LSU and Northwestern. But the numbers he puts up and what he does every time he touches the ball have been nothing short of amazing.

5. Georgia RB Todd Gurley

s to iLast week: Suspended

ff

2014: 773 rushing yards, 8 rushing TDs Considering Gurley was leading the Heisman race just a week ago, there’s no knocking him completely off the list for the controversy surrounding him off the field. For a running back who was having such an excellent season, Gurley’s suspension was both surprising and poorly timed. Right now, there’s no knowing how long Gurley will be out. But if he hopes to climb back into contention, he needs to get back on the field in a hurry, or else he’ll quickly fall out of the Heisman conversation.

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UP-TEMPO continues from page 4 game — the highest total in the country.

Texas has run just 432 plays this season for an average of 72 plays per game.

And through six games, the Longhorns have scored an average of only 19.7 points per game, two points lower than that of their opponents.

While Watson said the remainder of the season will feature a mixture of slow- and fast-paced possessions for the Longhorns, they are best when they are moving quickly. With Swoopes beginning to get comfortable under center, the Longhorns can expect more points and more

Shelby Tauber | Daily Texan Staff

Tyrone Swoopes (18), Johnathan Gray (32), and the rest of the Texas offense flourished in the fourth quarter last Saturday, scoring three times while utilizing a hurry-up offense.

wins if they continue to move the way they did in

the fourth quarter at the Cotton Bowl.

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Friday, October 17, 2014

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Lauren Ussery | Daily Texan Staff

Junior defensive back Duke Thomas (21) fondly remembers giving up a 97-yard touchdown against Iowa State last year, the longest passing score in Cyclone history. Thomas hates watching it as he cringes at even the thought of that play and has been working ever since to make sure it doesn’t ever happen again.

Cyclone memory motivates Texas duo

By Drew Lieberman @DrewLieberman

It’s a play many have forgotten because of a controversial no-call late in Texas’ 31-30 victory over Iowa State last year. But the Longhorn defensive backs certainly remember it.

In the win, the Longhorn secondary allowed Iowa State to throw for a then season-high 262 yards through the air, including a 97-yard touchdown strike that set the record as longest pass play in Cyclone history.

“The [defensive backs], we actually watched the game from last year, a couple of plays,” senior safety Mykkele Thompson said. “And you can just tell it’s a totally different team, and our mindset is different.”

It’s apparent Texas’ defensive backs have grown a lot since then. The defense has allowed less than 134 passing

yards per game — third best in the nation — in 2014.

But going back to last year’s game, Iowa State’s 97-yard score was the result of poor coverage and bad angles from Texas’ defensive backfield. Junior cornerback Duke Thomas, who was covering junior receiver Quenton Bundrage on the play, allowed him to get inside on the slant route. Thompson was the last line of defense but took a poor angle, which allowed Bundrage to take off for the end zone untouched.

Although Thomas was responsible for allowing the catch in the first place, Thompson’s bad judgement was what turned a routine first down grab into a score.

“I actually went back and watched that play a couple of times,” Thompson said. “And I actually recorded it on my phone to re-watch it.”

It may be one of the lowest points of Thompson’s career, but the senior uses it as a motivational tool to continue to improve and as proof of how far he has come

since last October.

“I click on it just to remind me where I was and what I’m trying to prevent to be the role player I said I need to be,” Thompson said.

Thomas, on the other hand, cringes at the sight of that touchdown, as well as most of his plays from last season.

“I seen it today in film, but just watching the film of my last year’s self was like night and day,” Thomas said Tuesday. “Every time I watched myself last year it just reminded me to keep working because I don’t want that happening again.”

With another season of experience under his belt, Thomas has noticed a huge development in his play over the past year.

“I was young,” Thomas said. “Everything I see on film was just bad in my own eyes. Just watching myself, how

DEFENSIVE page 16

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Friday, October 17, 2014

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NOT-SO-SPECIAL TEAMS Longhorn unit largely responsible for Texas’ worst start since 1956

By Stefan Scrafield @StefanScrafield

The Longhorn special teams have been far from special in 2014.

A bad punt and poor coverage led to the gamewinning drive for UCLA in Arlington, a blocked field goal returned for a touchdown swung the momentum against Baylor and a kick return touchdown and a boneheaded kick catch interference penalty proved to be the difference in the Red River Rivalry.

The unit has displayed a knack for giving up the big play this season, as special teams have been the driving force behind three of the Longhorns’ four losses this year.

“We just have people not doing their jobs, plain and simple,” senior defensive back Quandre Diggs said.

“Those guys are hearing about it, and I hope they want to fix it this week. We’re going to continue to work on it and continue to get better because it’s definitely not up to par right now.”

Big plays aside, Texas’ special teams have consistently disappointed throughout the first half of the season.

Junior kicker Nick Rose has missed a field goal in four of Texas’ six contests, converting just five of his nine field goal attempts on the year, and even missed an extra point attempt.

Longhorn kick returners haven’t been able to get anything going either, ranking 108th in the nation with an average of just 18.4 yards per return. Maybe touchbacks aren’t so bad after all.

Not to be outdone, Texas’ kick coverage unit ranks 128th — dead last in the country. Opponents are averaging 32.3 yards on kickoff returns, including sophomore Alex Ross’ 91-yard run back for the Sooners last weekend.

On the whole, Texas’ special teams give up an average of 3.9 points per game, fifth worst in the nation, according to Football Outsiders’ special teams efficiency rankings, which take into account each aspect of special teams and measure them in terms of points per game.

“It’s very frustrating,” said Diggs, who has spent time as a punt returner during his career at Texas. “It’s not like it’s not being harped on in meetings. It’s just Lauren Ussery | Daily Texan Staff

Some of the starters, I don’t think they take it for granted or anything, but they do play a lot of snaps, and they get tired.

But that’s no excuse. Special teams plays a huge part in the game, as you can see.

—Charlie Strong, Head coach

got to take it to heart and go out and get better effort on it.”

Fatigue may be at the heart of the issue for the Longhorns.

Head coach Charlie Strong prefers to have his best 11 men on the field on special teams, which forces starters from offense and defense into double duty, rather than resting them on the sidelines.

“Some of the starters, I don’t think they take it for granted or anything, but they do play a lot of snaps, and they get tired,” said senior receiver John Harris, who is on the punt return team. “But that’s no excuse. Special teams plays a huge part in the game, as you can see.”

The Longhorn defense is stout — one of the best units in the nation. The offense has been inconsistent, but they are slowly improving. But the specials teams are bad and don’t appear to be getting any better.

No matter how well the rest of the team plays, Texas will continue to lose more often than it wins, if it can’t be effective in all three aspects of the game.

“What needs to happen and what guys have to understand — you don’t take a play off with special teams,” Strong said. “We have offense, we have defense [and] we have special teams — and that’s not the time to take a play off.”

14

14

Friday, October 17, 2014

PLAYERS TO WATCH

By Peter Sblendorio @petersblendorio

Quarterback Sam B. Richardson Richardson enjoyed one of the best games of his career last season against the Longhorns, passing for 262 yards and two touchdowns while adding 83 yards on the ground.

The junior will be hard pressed to replicate those numbers against an improved Texas defense this year, but he has been playing extremely well. In addition to passing for 1,354 yards and 10 touchdowns in his first six games, Richardson leads Iowa State with 283 rushing yards on 71 carries. He’s thrown at least two touchdown passes in each of his last four games, and, last week, he recorded a career-high 351 passing yards against Toledo.

He’s passed for 412 yards and four touchdowns in two conference games this season, but the Texas defense will be his toughest challenge yet.

Running back Aaron Wimberly Photo courtesy of Iowa State Daily

Iowa State quarterback Sam Richardson has done it all for the Cyclones in 2014. The junior has thrown for 1,354 yards and ten touchdowns this year and rushed for another 283 yards.

Richardson single handedly carrying Iowa State offense

By Jori Epstein @JoriEpstein

Sam Richardson, Iowa State’s redshirt junior quarterback, likes to play to his opponents’ weaknesses. If defenders are moving slowly, as he felt Toledo was last weekend, he’ll change the game plan accordingly.

“The first half, we were kind of waiting for them to set up on defense, so I told the coaches we need to go fast and not let them get set up,” Richardson said Saturday night, after the Cyclones rebounded from a 13-9 halftime deficit to beat Toledo, 37-30.

The transition to uptempo wasn’t a guaranteed improvement. Richardson’s teammates didn’t like the new speed, it required him to throw a lot more passes and, at times, Richardson admits, it’s not easy on the quarterback. But he didn’t mind throwing 53 passes, and both his 37 comple-

tions and 351 passing yards set Cyclone school records.

Despite the obvious success on the stat sheet, Richardson said his mental game couldn’t always keep up.

“Where you’re not thinking so much about what a defensive look is before the snap, [it can] hurt us,” Richardson said Wednesday. “I wasn’t paying attention as well as I should’ve. It’s a lot of reacting there when you get a look [from teammates] that they’re in an offense they don’t want to be in.”

Although Richardson speaks of his mistakes, his statistics and mentors tell another story. Richardson hit 3,000 career passing yards in last weekend’s game, 1,354 of which he’s completed this season. Boasting a 60.1 percent completion rate with 10 touchdowns in 2014, Richardson, a Winter Park, Florida, native, is far from passive. He averages more than 225 passing yards per game and leads the team with 376

rushing yards this season — more than double the total of any other Cyclone player.

Head coach Paul Rhoads says Richardson is growing at an incredible rate.

“When you start to mature like he is right now, you do things like that; you make smart plays,” Rhoads said after the victory over Toledo. “And he made a couple of knucklehead plays in the first half, so to come back and have the presence to play the way he did in the next 30 minutes is a credit to him.”

In Austin this weekend, Richardson will look to make smart plays against the Longhorns. He knows the up-tempo style won’t wear out Texas’ defenders as well as it did the Rockets’. Richardson says Toledo players were “tired and huffing for air,” so he looked to capitalize on their fatigue.

But therein lies his biggest

RICHARDSON page 16

After turning in an impressive junior campaign in 2013, Wimberly took a step back in the first half of this season. The senior rushed for just 158 yards on 52 carries in his first five games of 2014, and he’s yet to rush for even 40 yards in a game this season. That being said, he still lead the Cyclones with three rushing touchdowns, and he’s made himself a factor in the passing game with 10 receptions already. Wimberly torched the Texas defense for 117 rushing yards last season, a game in which he scored one touchdown on the ground and another through the air. He’s struggled mightily this season, but the Longhorns know from last year that he is capable of much more.

Wide receiver Allen Lazard Lazard has been one of the brightest spots for the Iowa State offense this season. In the absence of redshirt junior wide receiver Quenton Bundrage, who’s out for the year with a torn ACL, Lazard has stepped up to lead the Cyclone receiving corps in the first six games of the season. The true freshman has hauled in 21 passes and two touchdowns so far and leads Iowa State with 304 receiving yards. He’s coming off of the best game of his career, as he recorded a career-high eight receptions for 96 yards and a touchdown last week. At 6 feet 5 inches and 221 pounds, Lazard creates matchup issues for opposing defensive backs.

Tight end E.J. Bibbs Bibbs has been one of the Cyclones’ most consistent playmakers so far this season, leading the team with four touchdown receptions while hauling in at least three passes in each of the last five games. The 6-foot-3-inch, 264-pound tight end is the ideal red zone target for Richardson. He turned in a solid performance against the Longhorns last year when he registered three receptions for 43 yards. Bibbs had one of the best games of his career in his last conference game, against Oklahoma State, recording a season-high six catches for 69 yards and two scores.

Iowa State running back Aaron Wimberly is off to a sluggish start in 2014, but he torched the Texas defense last year and will look to do so again Saturday.

Photo courtesy of Iowa State Daily

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Friday, October 17, 2014

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Laiuren Ussery | Daily Texan Staff

Senior safety Mykkele Thompson has improved immensely over the past year. Thompson was burned for a 97-yard touchdown pass last year, and has used its film as motivation ever since.

DEFENSIVE continues from page 11 I’ve grown so much and how I play now versus last year is a big difference.”

Both Thomas and Thompson are having the best seasons of their respective careers. Thomas intercepted a pair of passes against Kansas and is tied with senior linebacker

Jordan Hicks and senior cornerback Quandre Diggs for the team lead in that category with three.

Thompson, on the other hand, has spent a lot of time playing corner when the defense is in its nickel package. For the most part, he has held his own and has

continued to improve as the season wears on.

“It’s getting more comfortable [playing corner] just because this is my first year playing it,” Thompson said. “So, it’s always rough at the beginning, but as the season goes on, I am getting more comfortable back at playing corner.”

RICHARDSON continues from page 14 concern about the Longhorns’ defense: their athleticism.

“Their D-line is big but full of quick, shifty guys, and their defensive backs are very athletic, quick and can make plays on the balls,” Richardson said. “It’s a defense that’s going to be flying around and know where they need to be.”

Although his competition

will be stiff — Richardson says the Longhorns are “definitely one of the better 2-4 teams in the nation” — the higher stakes only motivate him. He longs for a win in Austin, hoping last week’s comeback will springboard the Cyclones to a second consecutive victory.

“It’s a great team with a

lot of prestige behind it, so it’d obviously propel us as a team getting a win over [the Longhorns],” Richardson said. “They’ve got a great defense and a team that’s full of athletes that can make all sorts of plays. It’d be an awesome win down there in Austin and propel us throughout the rest of the season.”

@thedailytexan Follow us for news, updates and more.

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Friday, October 17, 2014

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After turning in the best performance of his career against Texas in the Red River Rivalry last weekend, Oklahoma’s Zack Sanchez, a sophomore defensive back, made headlines for all the wrong reasons this week.

BIG 12 NOTEBOOK Oklahoma cornerback clarifies headband message

Sooner sophomore cornerback Zack Sanchez had a solid day against the Longhorns on Saturday, including a pick-six, but it was his headband and eye black that got most of the attention. Sanchez appeared to have written “B.T.P Frank Shannon,” referring to suspended Sooner linebacker Frank Shannon, on his headband and “Free BM,” referring to the NCAA blocking transfer quarterback Baker Mayfield’s eligibility for this year, on his eye black. However, Sanchez clarified what he wrote, saying on Twitter that “B.T.P” stood for “Big Time Players making big time plays” and the “Free BM” was actually “Free RM,” referring to his cousin.

Texas Tech shifts around defensive coaches

It’s no secret the Texas Tech defense has had issues slowing down opposing offenses. The Red Raiders have surrendered 484 yards per game, which ranks 115th in the country. With that in mind, the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal said interim defensive coordinator Mike Smith

By Jacob Martella

GO HORNS! BEAT BYU! -Roger & Claire Johnson Class of ‘71

@ViewFromTheBox

is moving some of the defensive coaches around. According to the AvalancheJournal, safeties coach Trey Haverty is now taking over coaching the outside linebacker position, while Smith, who had been coaching that position before being named the interim defensive coordinator, will coach the defensive ends, and defensive line coach John Scott Jr. will focus on nose guards and defensive tackles.

Pair of tight ends on Mackey Award watch list

Neither Kansas nor Iowa State have had much to celebrate so far this season, with the two sides combining for an 0-6 record in conference play. However, each school landed a tight end on the John Mackey Award watch list, which was released Monday. Iowa State senior E.J. Bibbs and Kansas senior Jimmay Mundine were named to the award’s watch list, which recognizes the nation’s most outstanding tight end. Bibbs leads the Cyclones with 22 receptions and four touchdown snaps and has 190 receiving yards this season.

Mundine leads Big 12 tight ends with

212 receiving yards and has 16 catches.

The winner of the Mackey Award will be named on Dec. 10.

Hill, Lambert split Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Week

After making plays to help each of their teams win over the weekend, OSU junior returner Tyreek Hill and WVU senior kicker Josh Lambert were both named Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Week. Hill became the only player in the country to return a kickoff for a touchdown in backto-back games with a 99-yard return in the fourth quarter to give the Cowboys a 2720 win over Kansas. Lambert capped off a Mountaineer comeback with a game-winning 55-yard field goal against Texas Tech.

Baylor senior quarterback Bryce Petty was named the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week after throwing for 510 yards and six touchdowns in a 61-58 win over TCU. Oklahoma sophomore cornerback Zack Sanchez rounded out the weekly awards, receiving Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week after making eight tackles and intercepting a pass for a touchdown against Texas.

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20

BIG 12 POWER RANKINGS

20

Friday, October 17, 2014

By Evan Berkowitz @Evan_Berkowitz

1

No. 4 Baylor

6

Texas

2

No. 12 TCU

7

West Virginia

3

No. 11 Oklahoma

8

Texas Tech

4

No. 14 Kansas State

9

Iowa State

5

No. 15 Oklahoma State

10

The Bears somehow escaped a matchup with TCU unscathed, but it wasn’t pretty. So much for their defense being much improved; the Horned Frogs burned Baylor for 58 points. Baylor’s struggles against TCU proved it won’t coast to a Big 12 title and that Oklahoma isn’t the only team that can challenge it. But Bryce Petty is still really good — he had 510 passing yards and six touchdowns — and Baylor is still the favorite to represent the conference in the playoff.

The Horned Frogs’ fourth-quarter meltdown prevented them from taking a commanding lead in the Big 12. However, after stunning Oklahoma and nearly knocking off Baylor, TCU showed it is for real. The Horned Frogs are balanced on offense, and their defense has been making big plays. They simply ran out of gas against Baylor.

Sophomore quarterback Trevor Knight has not been good this year. He is completing just 55 percent of his passes and has thrown just one more touchdown than interceptions. Once again, he struggled en route to a victory against Texas. The Sooners have relied on their defense and run game so far, which, fortunately for head coach Bob Stoops, have been solid.

The Wildcats haven’t faced any of the Big 12 powers yet, but they are playing steady football. They have quietly worked their way up to No. 14 in the nation, thanks in large part to a surprisingly potent offense. They have their toughest test thus far against No. 11 Oklahoma this week, but you can’t sleep on head coach Bill Snyder and his Wildcats.

The Cowboys, like Kansas State, had a close loss to a top-five team early in the season. Since then, they have been winning and working their way up to No. 15 in the nation. They had a bit of a scare against Kansas on the road but were able to pull off the win. They travel to TCU on Saturday where we’ll learn the true strength of this team.

The Longhorns are slowly getting better. Sophomore quarterback Tyrone Swoopes is beginning to look more comfortable, and the defense continues to shut down some of the best offenses in the country. They just need to limit mistakes and find ways to generate the occasional big play.

The Mountaineers are 4-2, but that includes wins over Towson and Kansas and three-point victories against Texas Tech and Maryland. Behind senior quarterback Clint Trickett, the offense will put up points. But their defense is full of holes and that may keep them from moving their way to the top of this list.

Remember when head coach Kliff Kingsbury was the savior? The Red Raiders tanked at the end of last year and have lost four straight this year. Their defense is ranked No. 122 in the nation, allowing just below 40 points a game. Even for an offense as good as Tech’s, that terrible defense is too much to overcome.

The Cyclones just aren’t good enough at any position to compete in the Big 12 right now. They can hang and play teams toughly, but they won’t pull anything out against a team in the top half of the conference. On the bright side, they still have Kansas on the schedule.

Kansas

The Jayhawks came close to winning Saturday against Oklahoma State, which should be considered a great showing. With four ranked Big 12 teams still on their schedule, Kansas may go without a win in the Big 12 once again.

21

Friday, October 17, 2014

GAMES TO WATCH

21

By Jacob Martella @ViewFromTheBox

No. 5 Notre Dame at No. 2 Florida State

Doak Campbell Stadium Tallahassee, Florida Saturday, 7:00 p.m.

ABC

Despite both the Fighting Irish and Seminoles’ storied football history, this is only the 10th ever meeting between the two teams. History, both distant and recent, heavily favors Florida State, with the Seminoles holding a 7-2 all-time lead in the series and coming into the game on a 22-game streak. But Notre Dame has been one of the quietest undefeated teams in some time. Senior quarterback Everett Golson has come back from his academic suspension on a mission, amassing 1,683 passing yards, 16 touchdowns and just four interceptions this year, and the Fighting Irish are eighth in scoring defense, giving up just 17.2 points per game. Meanwhile, defendng champion Florida State has been struggling, barely surviving upset bids from Clemson and North Carolina State. Sophomore quarterback Jameis Winston, the reigning Heisman Trophy winner, has not had a great year, throwing just 11 touchdown passes and five interceptions. Still, both teams are undefeated, and this game could determine who gets a spot in the inaugural College Football Playoff.

No. 14 Kansas State at No. 11 Oklahoma

Memorial Stadium Norman, Oklahoma Saturday, 11:00 a.m.

ESPN

While the SEC West seems to dominate the headlines, the Big 12 has produced backto-back weeks chock-full of solid matchups, and this one continues that trend. As always under Bill Snyder, the Wildcats have quietly put together a solid team that should contend for the Big 12 title or, at the very least, make a lot of noise. Kansas State nearly pulled off a big Thursday night upset over Auburn a few weeks ago and are led by senior quarterback Jake Waters, who’s thrown for 1,206 yards and seven touchdowns and has run for six more scores, and senior receiver Tyler Lockett, who has three receiving touchdowns. On the other side, the Sooners hope to continue their bounce-back efforts after losing to TCU a couple weeks ago. Oklahoma will need a much better effort from sophomore quarterback Trevor Knight, who’s thrown for just 438 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions in the past two games. This will be the best early game Saturday, with the winner being in a great position to take the Big 12 crown if Baylor ever goes down.

No. 15 Oklahoma State at No. 12 TCU

Amon G. Carter Stadium Ft. Worth, Texas Saturday, 3:00 p.m.

Fox Sports 1

The Big 12 slate continues with Oklahoma State and TCU squaring off in a similar situation to the Kansas State-Oklahoma matchup. OSU has rebounded well, winning five straight game, after losing the season opener to Florida State, but this will be the Cowboys’ biggest test since that loss. Junior quarterback Daxx Garman has played well since J.W. Walsh went down with an injury, but the Cowboys have struggled, beating Kansas by just seven points last week. TCU, on the other hand, looks to rebound after blowing a 21-point lead against Baylor last week. The Horned Frogs, led by a defense that was allowing just 13.5 points per game before the Baylor game, have been the surprise team in the conference as junior quarterback Trevone Boykin has shown the potential to be another one of the talented quarterbacks in the Big 12. The winner of this game, as in the Kansas State-Oklahoma matchup, will be in a great position to capture the Big 12 title if Baylor slips up.

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23

STAFF PICKS

Friday, October 17, 2014

23

EVAN BERKOWITZ

GARRETT CALLAHAN

NICK CASTILLO

DANIEL CLAY

JORI EPSTEIN

SEBASTIAN HERRERA

DREW LIEBERMAN

JACOB MARTELLA

PETER SBLENDORIO

STEFAN SCRAFIELD

6-4

8-2

6-4

7-3

8-2

7-3

6-4

9-1

9-1

7-3

Overall Record

33-27

40-20

39-21

39-21

39-21

41-19

39-21

43-17

42-18

36-24

Iowa State vs.

Texas

Texas 28-14

Texas 24-10

Texas 28-17

Texas 28-14

Texas 34-17

Texas 24-20

Texas 35-9

Texas 35-7

Texas 28-21

Texas 31-13

Notre Dame vs.

Florida State

Florida State

Notre Dame

Notre Dame

Florida State

Florida State

Florida State

Florida State

Florida State

Florida State

Florida State

Texas A&M vs.

Alabama

Alabama

Alabama

Alabama

Alabama

Alabama

Alabama

Alabama

Alabama

Alabama

Alabama

Georgia vs.

Arkansas

Georgia

Georgia

Georgia

Georgia

Georgia

Georgia

Georgia

Georgia

Georgia

Arkansas

Kansas State vs.

Oklahoma

Kansas State

Oklahoma

Oklahoma

Oklahoma

Kansas State

Oklahoma

Oklahoma

Oklahoma

Kansas State

Kansas State

Oklahoma State

TCU

TCU

TCU

TCU

TCU

TCU

TCU

TCU

TCU

Stanford

Stanford

Stanford

Stanford

Stanford

Stanford

Stanford

Stanford

Stanford

Arizona State

Virginia vs.

Duke

Duke

Virginia

Duke

Virginia

Duke

Duke

Virginia

Duke

Duke

Virginia

Missouri vs.

Florida

Missouri

Missouri

Missouri

Missouri

Missouri

Florida

Missouri

Missouri

Florida

Florida

Iowa vs.

Maryland

Maryland

Maryland

Maryland

Maryland

Iowa

Maryland

Maryland

Iowa

Iowa

Maryland

Last Week’s Record

Oklahoma State vs.

TCU

Stanford vs.

Arizona State

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